How to Learn Photography and Darkrooms?

Answer 1

To begin with, it is elemental that a darkroom must be dark, with the use of a red safe light. Every door or window must be sealed against outside light. Sometimes a short hallway type of entrance prevents light from interfering when anyone enters the darkroom. Black masking tape or a blackout shade can be used on any windows. To make sure that the door is sealed against light, then a blackout shade that extends beyond the actual door edges needs to be secured.

Every darkroom must have a wet side and a dry side. The dry side is where the enlarger is located. Preferably, the enlarger should be mounted on a counter long enough to provide clear working space on both sides. Film tanks, reels, a timer, easels for different size prints, a paper cutter, a drawer to store photographic papers, and a place to hang film and prints to dry are all essential to a well functioning darkroom. The type of enlarger to install is based upon what types of photographs are planned to be processed. Whether black and white or color, and the size of the enlargements desired are factors that enter into the choice of enlargers. Easels are available in various sizes, for handling 5 x 7, 8 x 10, or 11 x 14 inch prints. Naturally, if large prints are to be done, then the drawer for storing papers must be large enough to handle them.

The wet side includes a sink or two, trays to hold developing fluids and water, hoses to allow for water to be channeled to such trays and sinks, tongs to use for lifting negatives and prints from trays and other containers, film clips, dark bottles for chemical storage, and supplies for cleaning work areas. Moving prints from developer to fixer to water trays requires that they be situated in a way that allows for a smooth uninterrupted movement. The placement of drying lines to clip finished prints on must be located in a place where there will be no dripping on either the photographer or on to things on counters. Planning out the darkroom beforehand will reveal any such bad placement of drying lines and equipment.